Public Transportation Division: Joint Transportation Legislative Oversight Committee ConCPT Grants Update January 11, 2018 Debbie Collins
Agenda 1. Summary of S.L. 2017-57 Section 34.18A 2. Established criteria 3. Grants awarded to date 4. Highlights of grants awarded 5. Identified strengths and weaknesses 2
Goal Encourage public transportation systems to combine with other transit systems, or to cooperate with other systems in developing new routes and services Maximize resources, gain efficiencies, and increase access to public transportation for North Carolina s citizens Elements of the Legislation 3
Timeline Criteria for ConCPT grants applications must be established and published on the Department website by September 1, 2017 Report due annually to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee by December 1, identifying: each public transportation system provided funding under this subsection, the amount of funds disbursed to each public transportation system, and the purpose or purposes for which each public transportation system has used the funds. ConCPT Grant Update Elements of the Legislation 4
Purpose Encourage transit systems to consolidate into single systems, to reduce the number of Public Transportation Division grantees while expanding services in North Carolina s communities Encourage coordination between systems for long-distance trips spanning multiple transit system service areas to provide access to major medical destinations, nearby regional and intercity transportation facilities, and education facilities Elements of the Legislation 5
NCDOT s Criteria Established for ConCPT Grant Other Requirements $200,000 annual cap per transit system, per legislation Eligible applicants: NCDOT sub-recipients of 5311 (Rural Formula) Funds or 5307 (Urban Formula) Funds Divided the money in half in the first stage of implementation $750,000 for consolidation $750,000 for coordination 6
NCDOT s Criteria Established for ConCPT Grant Application Process Application created after approval of the plan Application input received from the rural Transit Advisory Grantee Group Rolling applications Develop Project Create Application Fund Project 7
Elements of the Funding Consolidation Maximum of $200,000 per system the actual amount requested in each plan is adjusted according to the amount of local money generated by the transit system Required match of at least 50% nonstate money Eligible expenses: capital purchases, operating assistance, maintenance, and administrative support 8
Elements of the Funding Coordination Establish formal relationships on long-distance routes Required match of at least 50% non-state money Eligible expenses: operating assistance billed at an approved rate Requires participation of a minimum of three transportation systems 9
Applications and Awards to Date Consolidation 1 application for Wilson City/Wilson County - $350,000 Coordination 3 applications; 2 funded Clay County Ridge Runner (coordination with Swain and Macon counties) - $20,000 Carteret County Downeast Express (coordination with Onslow, Duplin, Goldsboro-Wayne, and Johnston counties) - $75,000 10
Applications and Awards to Date Work with other projects continues Consolidation Continue to support the Hyde/Tyrrell consolidation 2 other consolidation studies underway Coordination ConCPT Grant Update Rutherford traveling east and west Mitchell area Person/Caswell/Rockingham Vance Sandhills Piedmont area 11
Consolidation Wilson City/Wilson County Wilson City and Wilson County Operated as separate urban and rural agencies since 1980s Consolidating the two organizations, with the City of Wilson taking the lead $350,000 12
Carteret County Downeast Express 5-day-a-week service from Beaufort to the Triangle Start-up partners: Carteret, Duplin, Goldsboro-Wayne, Johnston and Onslow Counties 6-month budget = $75,000 Service will expand to multiple trips per day Coordination ConCPT Grant Update Carteret County Downeast Express Stops: Beaufort New Bern Mall at 17 Business (Craven County) Lenoir Community College (Onslow County) Goldsboro Transit Center (Goldsboro-Wayne and Duplin County) Johnston County Transit Office (Smithfield) Triangle destinations 13
Coordination Clay County Ridge Runner 5-day-a-week service from Hayesville to Asheville Start-up partners: Clay, Macon and Swain counties 6-month budget = $20,000 Service will expand to multiple trips per day Stops: Hayesville Franklin Sylva Asheville Clay County Ridge Runner 14
Strengths ConCPT Grant Update Generates excitement Allows NCDOT to partner in building a network for access to jobs, education and medical facilities Creates additional service opportunities in each community Creates new partnerships Considers the transportation network as a whole Helps implement one of Public Transportation Division s Strategic Plan goals: Build a connected statewide network 15
Opportunities Takes time to build the partnerships: Short time frame for implementation Involves engagement at all levels of the organization finance directors, boards, etc. Transit systems must rethink: Delivery of service model Funding/budgeting Ownership of customers leading to a fear of risk 16
Upcoming Actions Regional training on budgeting and billing Provide leadership and technical assistance to identified potential partners Consider including non subrecipients, partnered for rural access 17
Save the Date Debbie Collins dgcollins1@ncdot.gov 919-707-4684 18